exchange

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Each classroom holds a new set of students, and a whole new set of people to meet from multiple different countries. Throughout the day I learn numerous traditional Chinese Art and technical skills while laughing and getting to know the people in my class. Trying new things together is a great way to make friends.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Our next stop is the Bird's Nest National Stadium, a massive outdoor stadium made of huge steel bars crisscrossing in the shape of a bird's nest, hence its name. From a distance, the supports look like mere twigs, but up close they spanned 4 feet across. This was where the Summer 2008 Olympic Games were held. Ironically enough, I am wearing my Canada shirt from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Following the commencement of the ceremony, the whole summer camp streams out and walks over to the parking area where 20 buses are waiting. I join Canada and find a seat on the bus, which I learn we are now sharing with a group from Texas school of performing arts.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By Janna Wale, Thompson Rivers University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship and a member of the BC Study Abroad Writer in Residence Team.

If you are anything like me (poor university student), budgeting is your best friend. This becomes especially important when travelling. The more places you want to see, the more things you want to experience, the better you have to be about keeping track of your money. Luckily, I picked up a few tips about travelling on a budget, even in a more expensive country like Spain.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Dreams, in the sense of the visions we have while we sleep, are wonderful things. They are curious, sometimes confusing, sometimes pleasant journeys that our brain takes while our bodies rest. Dreams are messages from the subconscious.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE)Summer Camp.

Have you ever gone into one of those saunas at the public swimming pool? Where you walk in and it's like stepping into, well, like stepping into a room full of hot, steamy air. The air kind of weighs down on you, slowing your breath and clinging to your skin. That's what we are met with as our curious faces emerge from the airplane and step onto the stairs leading to the solid ground of Beijing, China.